It’s time for the Utes to do it all over again.
The TCU game marked the halfway point of the Runnin’ Ute conference season, and as of Wednesday night, they are tied with San Diego State at the top of the conference at 6-2.
Taking a look back at how the Utes got to this point, many believed it would be another year of mediocrity or even worse after a home loss to Southwest Baptist in the season opener. The team responded to adversity by winning its next five matches. And the Runnin’ Utes didn’t just win8212;their closest game in the stretch was a margin of 11 against Ole Miss.
In the next five-game stretch, Utah made its last big dip, losing four out of the five, before making a push to what it has become8212;a winning program. During that stretch, the Utes lost by two buzzer beaters to Cal and Utah State, and were outplayed on the road by the now No. 2 team in the country, Oklahoma.
After a non-conference schedule that was one of the toughest on the Rating Percentage Index in the Mountain West Conference, the Utes were ready for league play starting with the team they play Saturday8212;Wyoming.
Wyoming went into the Huntsman Center with an 11-3 record while Utah posted a 9-4 slate. The story line for the game went beyond the conference season opener. It was a battle between two of the leading scorers in the MWC8212;Brandon Ewing for the Pokes and Luke Nevill for the Utes. Ewing led the conference in points per game and Nevill was at third. Both players had huge games that night, but Nevill stole the show, scoring 29 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in Utah’s 91-67 victory.
The Utes then let off another bang, beating LSU 91-61 three days after the Wyoming game. Nevill had another big game, scoring 23 points and grabbing six boards.
The Utes were on a roll, winning four straight, but the games that really counted were just beginning.
During the next month, Utah climbed the ranks, never losing sight of first place. Going 3-1, the toughest part of its schedule has come in the past four games.
BYU and New Mexico almost pulled the reins on the Utes’ first half of conference play. The fate of Utah was determined by making clutch shots in the final minute of the game, a complete opposite of last season. The players have bought into head coach Jim Boylen’s system8212;they’ve started to mesh together, and it’s starting to pay dividends.
The system Boylen has talked about all season is defense, rebounding and making free throws. The Utes are holding their opponents to 65 points per game this season, leading the conference in rebounding margin at plus-5 and the best free-throw shooting at 78 percent.
Individually, Ute players are making some noise around the league. Nevill is tenths of a point out of the lead for scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game compared to Ewing’s 18-point average. Nevill is leading the conference in rebounds at 8.2 per game and blocked shots with 2.59 per game. Luka Drca and Carlon Brown are ranked No. 7 and No. 8 in the assist category and Brown is ranked No. 10 in rebounds.
The Utes will take these statistics and toss them aside Saturday afternoon as they head to Laramie, Wyo., to take on the Cowboys. The Pokes are 10-0 at home this season and pose a big threat for a Utah team that is a league best 2-2 on the road in conference play.
Tyler CobbLuke Nevill led all scorers with 29 points when Utah last faced Wyoming as the Utes came away with a 91-67 win at the Huntsman Center. Utah will travel to Laramie where the Cowboys are yet to lose a game.